World Facts Index
First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state
with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was
allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983.
In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short
of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to try and
separate from Saint Kitts.
Geography of Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
Location:
|
Caribbean, islands in the
Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad
and Tobago |
|
Coordinates:
|
17 20 N, 62 45 W |
|
Area:
|
total: 261 sq km
(Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)
water: 0 sq km
land: 261 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
1.5 times the size of
Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
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135 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous zone: 24
NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin |
|
Climate:
|
tropical tempered by
constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy
season (May to November) |
|
Terrain:
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volcanic with mountainous
interiors |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
arable land |
|
Natural hazards:
|
hurricanes (July to
October) |
|
Geography - note:
|
with coastlines in the
shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated
by a three-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of
long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis
Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its
ball shape complements that of its sister island
|
Population of Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
Population:
|
39,817 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 5,515/female 5,263)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 12,605/female 12,572)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 1,313/female 1,861) |
|
Median age:
|
27.8 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
0.5% |
|
Infant mortality:
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14.12 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 72.4 years
male: 69.56 years
female: 75.42 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
2.31 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
predominantly black; some British,
Portuguese, and Lebanese |
|
Religions:
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Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic |
|
Languages:
|
English |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended
school
total population: 97.8%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Federation
of Saint Kitts and Nevis
former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis |
|
Government type:
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constitutional monarchy with
Westminster-style parliament |
|
Capital:
|
Basseterre |
|
Administrative divisions:
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14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town,
Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James
Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul
Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint
Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point |
|
Independence:
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19 September 1983 (from UK) |
|
National holiday:
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Independence Day, 19 September (1983) |
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Constitution:
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19 September 1983 |
|
Legal system:
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based on English common law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
|
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
(since 1 January 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995);
Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the
prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general. |
|
Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11
popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
|
|
Judicial branch:
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Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on
Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis) |
Economy
Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until the
1970s. Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry
after decades of losses of 3-4% of GDP annually. To compensate for employment
losses, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural
sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy. Activities such as
tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed
larger roles in the economy and have contributed to the recent robust growth.
Tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign exchange;
about 341,800 tourists visited Nevis in 2005. The current government is
constrained by a high debt burden, public debt reached 190% of GDP by the end
of 2005, largely attributable to public enterprise losses.
|
GDP:
|
$721 million (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
3.3% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$13,900 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 25.8%
services: 70.7% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
1.7% |
|
Labor force:
|
18,172 |
|
Unemployment:
|
4.5% |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 100%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt,
copra, clothing, footwear, beverages |
|
Agriculture:
|
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas;
fish |
|
Exports:
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machinery, food, electronics, beverages,
tobacco |
|
Export partners:
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US 66%, Canada 8.8%, UK 6.2% |
|
Imports:
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machinery, manufactures, food, fuels |
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Import partners:
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Ukraine 43.6%, US 28%, Trinidad and Tobago 8.6%
( |
|
Currency:
|
East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |